Dick Durbin: “early in the morning this past Sunday, the worst mass shooting in America's history took place. Forty-nine people were…”

“early in the morning this past Sunday, the worst mass shooting in America's history took place. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 more wounded at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, FL. We don't know all the details, but we know that this was an act of terror and that it was an act of hate directed at the LGBT community. I want to begin by expressing my condolences to the victims, to their families and loved ones, and to the city of Orlando. I thank the first responders who ran toward the sound of gunfire, who literally risked their lives to save the lives of others. I express my support and solidarity with the LGBT community in Orlando and throughout the Nation. Many of the patrons at the Pulse nightclub were members of that community. They were simply enjoying a fun night out at an establishment that welcomed them. June is Pride Month. It is a month where we should take pride in the advances we have made toward equality since Stonewall in 1969. The LGBT movement has come a long way in protecting Americans' right to love the person they love. Yet this weekend's shooting is a sobering reminder that this community still remains a target of vicious hatred. As we mourn those we lost in Orlando, we must not lose our pride in what the LGBT movement has accomplished. We must stand in solidarity with our fellow LGBT Americans who will not let the hate of a few overcome the love of an entire community.…”